Christopher Eccleston to return as Doctor Who's Ninth Doctor after 15 years

Eccleston, who departed Doctor Who after a single series in 2005, will return to star in a new series of 12 full-cast adventures from audio drama producers Big Finish.

These stories will be divided across four box sets, starting with volume one in May 2021.

Eccleston said: "After 15 years it will be exciting to revisit the Ninth Doctor's world, bringing back to life a character I love playing."

Big Finish's Chairman, Jason Haigh-Ellery, revealed that he'd first approached the actor about returning to the role of the Doctor at a fan convention in February. "Christopher said he was enjoying meeting the fans and was pleased that his Doctor was remembered so fondly.

"I am so pleased that Christopher has decided to return to the role with us – and I'm excited to welcome him to the Big Finish family as we discover the new adventures of the Ninth Doctor."

Eccleston was Doctor Who's leading man when the series made its grand relaunch in 2005. He departed the show after an initial series of 13 episodes, later claiming that his relationship with his "three immediate superiors... broke down irreparably" during filming.

He also turned down an opportunity to reprise the Ninth Doctor for the show's 50th anniversary special in 2013, but in his memoir published last year, Eccleston spoke positively about his relationship with Doctor Who fans and how this had "healed" him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mISZTpDLn68

"These days, I feel nothing but positive about the show, to the extent I have even started doing conventions, something I’d been wary of because I always wanted to earn my money from acting," he wrote. "People bring memorabilia from across my whole career, which makes me feel good about my work and also about myself. It has healed something in me.

"Forget producers, forget politics – here are real people who have seen me do my stuff and want to shake my hand."

Each of the four volumes in Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures will be released as a 4-disc collector’s edition box set or download containing three brand-new full cast audio adventures, plus a selection of behind-the-scenes extras.

Doctor Who fans worldwide can now pre-order all four volumes, which are available in three formats – collector’s edition CD, digital download or limited edition gatefold triple LP vinyl (limited to a pressing of 1000 per volume) – exclusively from the Big Finish website.

More details, including guest cast and writers involved, will be announced in the near future. But for now, we think you'll agree this new is pretty darn "Fantastic!".

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